Baptism with the Holy Spirit

Baptism with the Holy Spirit

If you have any questions about the material in this issue of Biblios, you can get in touch with: LifePoint Church The LifePoint Centre Ffynonne Road Uplands Swansea. SA1 6BT www.lifepoint.org.uk T. 01792 472828 E. biblios@lifepoint.org.uk LifePoint Church meets every Sunday morning at 10.30am in The LifePoint Centre to worship and to enjoy life-changing messages that are both biblical and practical. You can find out more by visiting their website.

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Baptism with the Holy Spirit

Baptism with the Holy Spirit

Introduction 01 02 03 What is baptism with the Holy Spirit? Why is it important for me? How can I be baptised with the Holy Spirit?

Voices

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Introduction
Be filled with the Holy Spirit was Pauls exhortation to the church in his day (Ephesians 5: 18) and it is still Gods call to us today. The gift of the Holy Spirit is not only helpful, it is essential to us as we seek to live for God. Worship, holiness, evangelism, spiritual gifts and so many other areas are completely dependant upon the Spirits work in us and through us as he helps, fills and anoints us. Particularly now, society is looking for more than religious words, they are looking for faith that is matched with evidence of a supernatural reality. It is the moving of the Spirit that creates that reality, so it is vital that every one of us experiences the baptism with the Holy Spirit - not just once but as an ongoing encounter - as a way of life that we choose to pursue daily.

Hugh Griffiths LifePoint Church www.lifepoint.org.uk

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A powerful and overwhelming experience of the Holy Spirit that is distinct from salvation but may be experienced at the same time

What is baptism with the Holy Spirit?

Baptism with the Holy Spirit is referred to many times in the New Testament. It is significant that every one of the four gospel writers include John the Baptists statement that it is a defining characteristic of Jesus ministry: All of those present were already followers and disciples of Christ but together they each received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Filled with the Spirit This first outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost was a unique moment for those earliest disciples, but it was also a gift given for the whole church. Acts 2: 39 says it very directly - the Holy Spirit was a promise made for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. So, it is not surprising to read in the rest of Acts, there are many instances of Christians having the same experience: The household of Cornelius (Acts 10: 44-47 and 11: 15-17) Converts in Samaria (Acts 8: 5-25) The apostle Paul (Acts 9: 17-19) Disciples in Ephesus (Acts 19: 1-7) The example of the disciples in Samaria and Ephesus as well as Pauls own story (Acts 9: 4-19) show us that baptism with the Spirit and conversion are not the same event. Although we are born of the Spirit (John 3: 5-7) when we come to faith in Christ, there is a further experience to be gained. This event or its subseqent experience is described in

He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire Luke 3: 16
The gospel of Luke in then filled with many references to the operation of the Holy Spirit, showing how the Spirit overflowed through Jesus life and ministry. Following his resurrection, Jesus was clear that the Holy Spirit was not unique to him but would be a gift for all who followed him. He gave his disciples very direct instructions about what they should do next:

He ordered then not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, you heard from me; for John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now Acts 1: 4-5
Shortly afterwards all of the disciples who were gathered in Jerusalem experienced the reality of what Jesus had promised.

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Acts 2: 4

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several ways in the book of Acts: an outpouring (Acts 2: 33, 10: 45) a falling upon (Acts 8: 16, 10: 44, 11: 15) a coming upon (Acts 1: 8, 19: 6) a baptism with (Acts 1: 5, 11: 16) a filling (Acts 2: 4, 4: 8, 4: 31, 9: 17, 13: 52) The terminology varies but each one points towards a powerful and overwhelming experience of the Holy Spirit that is distinct from the experience of salvation. Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a visible evidence of the presence of God that comes from outside the individual. The term baptism indicates a thorough immersion in the Spirit and not just an inner awareness of Gods presence.

Speaking with other tongues These examples from Acts also show that the primary evidence of being baptised with the Spirit is speaking in tongues. As the disciples encountered the Holy Spirit in this way, they began overflowing with words they could not understand, speaking in a language given by the Holy Spirit. They were given various kinds of tongues (1 Corinthians 12: 10) that made no direct sense to their own mind (1 Corinthians 14: 14). This was not ecstatic nonsense or over-excited babbling, instead it was Spirit-inspired speech or utterances (Acts 2: 4). Speaking in tongues was not evident in the Old Testament although the New Testament shows that it is a normal part of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Paul speaks of this reality in 1 Corinthians 14: 21 when he shows that the gift of tongues is a fulfilment of what Isaiah prophesied (28: 11-12).

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The Holy Spirit is intended for every Christian to empower and equip us for daily living

Why is it important for me?

Perhaps the most important reason is that it is part of Jesus ministry towards you and the fulfilment of his promise to baptise ... with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Luke 3:16, Acts 1: 4-5, 2: 4). However, the book of Acts shows several practical reasons why the Holy Spirit is a necessary and fundamental part of Christian experience: The Holy Spirit empowers your Christian life Even in the Old Testament, there are instances where the Holy Spirit would come upon individuals to empower them, usually for a specific task. It was described either as an anointing (see 1 Samuel 16: 12-13) or an enduement of power (see Judges 6: 34). Although this empowering was restricted and temporary, the prophets (Isaiah 32: 1417, Joel 2: 28-29) anticipated the time when the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all believers: The Holy Spirit enables you to witness A key part of that empowerment is to enable you to witness to the world for Christ. It was the purpose for which Jesus promised power to those first disciples:

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth Acts 1: 8
As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the life of God will overflow to those around us, demonstrate the reality of Jesus Christ and motivate us to reach our friends, colleagues, neighbours and communities.2

The anointing symbolised equipment for service and is associated with the outpouring of the Spirit of God. J.D. Douglas (editor), The Illustrated Bible Dictionary

The promise is for you and your children, for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord calls to himself. Acts 2:39
The baptism with the Holy Spirit is intended for every Christian, to empower and equip us for daily living. It allows us to experience the supernatural through our lives. Just as in the book of Acts, the Spirit gives us the ability or power (Gk. dunamis, Acts 1: 8) to do the works of God.

. John Wimbers book Power Evangelism provides helpful insights and examples about the place of the Holy Spirit in evangelism, particularly regarding signs and wonders as they accompany the gospel.

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The Holy Spirit equips you with spiritual gifts Supernatural events are common throughout Lukes account of the early church. The Holy Spirit equipped the apostles and believers with the ability to perform amazing works that demonstrated the power of God to those around them. There are examples of God guiding through visions and revelation, healings and deliverance, miracles and other supernatural phenomena. These dynamic interventions were examples of the operation of the gifts of the Spirit described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 and elsewhere. When we are baptised with the Holy Spirit, we are able to move in these various gifts as God gives them to us - something that Scripture encourages us to very strongly:

The Holy Spirit enlarges your worship Our worship is powerfully enabled when we are filled with the Spirit. Jesus described proper worship as being in spirit and in truth (John 4: 23-24) and so the Holy Spirit can help us. The connection between baptism with the Spirit and worship can be seen as the firsts disciples overflowed with praise (Acts 2: 8-11) and also in the example of those gathered round Peter:

...the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Acts 10: 46

The Holy Spirit santifies and shapes us Paul is very clear about the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives - we should know a living, vital experience that produces profound change and personal transformation. For example: The Spirit santifies (1 Peter 1:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:13) He produces the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 16-18) We walk by the Spirit and are led by the Spirit (Galatians 5: 16-17, Romans 8: 14)

Pursue love and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 1 Corinthians 14: 1

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The Spirit comes to us as an act of Gods grace towards us rather than as anything we can work for or otherwise earn

How can I be baptised with the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is referred to in the Bible as a gift and so, in one sense, there is nothing we can do to obtain him. The Spirit comes to us as an act of Gods grace towards us rather than anything we can work for or otherwise earn (see Acts 8: 18-20). Instead baptism with the Holy Spirit is something that we receive through faith (Galatians 3: 3-5). Here are some of the principles that show us how we can best seek the Holy Spirit: Prayer and asking The act of prayer is basic to seeking anything from God, but it is especially important in connection with seeking a greater experience of the Holy Spirit: Obedience and surrender When we seek God for the Holy Spirit, we should be living in practical holiness. That is, yielded and submitted to God in our attitide and lifestyle and also walking in obedience. If we are consciously harbouring sin or disobedience, that will be a barrier or obstacle to the further moving of the Spirit in our lives.

We are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him. Acts 5:32
Expectancy and faith. The accounts recorded in Acts show us that we can and should have a genuine expectancy and faith to receive the Spirit. For example: Jesus commanded the disciples to wait for the Spirit (1: 4) Peter boldly declared the promise of the Spirit (2: 38-39) prayer for the Samaritans and the laying on hands (8: 14-17) Certainly the testimony of most people who have received the baptism with the Holy Spirit is that he came upon them when they were most expectant for God to move.

If you then, who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father, give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. Luke 11:13
Prayer is therefore an essential context, something that was also evident while the disciples waited in Jerusalem (Acts 1: 14) to receive baptism with the Spirit. Prayer was also the backdrop to Pauls receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 9: 11) and a characteristic of Cornelius (Acts 10: 2, 4).
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A much fuller exploration of these ideas is covered in The Reception of the Holy Spirit, a chapter in volume 2 of J. Rodman Williams Renewal Theology (Zondervan, 1990) p.271-306.

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Laying on of hands Laying on of hands features prominently in many examples of baptism with the Spirit recorded in Acts (8: 17, 9: 17 and 19:6). In each situation, a believer already filled with Holy Spirit laid his hands upon another and the gift of the Holy Spirit was imparted.

Responsiveness Once we begin to sense the moving of the Spirit upon us, perhaps as others are praying for us, it is important to remain open and responsive to God. As a new experience, it would be easy to react against it rather than flow with it. However, by our attitude, we can further encourage the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles hands Acts 8: 18
Asking another to lay hands upon you is a powerful act of faith and in many cases enables you to receive the gift. However, it is not essential since God may choose to impart the Holy Spirit without this taking place, just as he did with the first disciples in Jerusalem or with the household of Cornelius (Acts 10: 44). It is also worth remembering that it doesnt have to be an apostle or other official leader that prays for you after all, even the apostle Paul received the Holy Spirit through the simple and obedient laying on of hands by the disciple Ananias.

Do not quench the Spirit. I Thessalonians 5:19

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The laying on of hands was something familiar to the early church (Hebrews 6: 1-3). Not only was it identified with the initial receiving of the Holy Spirit, it also conferred (2 Timothy 1: 6) and confirmed (1 Timothy 4:14) spiritual gifting.

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Voices
The word baptism signifies a great immersion into the Spirit. Whatever the expression - baptism or outpouring or otherwise - reference is thereby made to a dynamic movement of the Holy Spirit which results in a new sense of Gods Presence and power, various charismata becoming manifest and the emergence of a different style of life. These things are possible only through the event of the Spirit.

Thomas R Schreiner1
One of the major functions of miracles and supernatural living is to offer immediate, irrefutable proof of what God wants to happen on earth. It demonstrates who God is by showing what His reality looks like.

J Rodman Williams5
When Jesus left his disciples and went to heaven, he gave the best gift he could, the Holy Spirit. He is more remarkable than many believers know and has much more to give than they may anticipate.

Bill Johnson2
The Spirit is thus the empowering Presence of God for living the life of God in the present.

Gordon Fee3
If your doctrine of the Holy Spirit does not leave any room for revival, then you cannot expect this kind of thing. If you say the baptism of the Spirit was once and for all on Pentecost and all who are regenerated are just made partakers of that, then there is no room left for this objective coming, this repetition, this falling of the Holy Spirit in power and authority on a church. But thank God - there IS room left! The teaching of Scripture plus the long history of the Christian church shows this so clearly.

Keith Warrington6

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New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ (Apollos, 2008) The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind (Destiny Image, 2005) Paul, the Spirit and the People of God (Hendrickson, 1996) Joy Unspeakable (Kingsway Books, 2000) The Pentecostal Reality (Logos, 1972) The Message of the Holy Spirit (InterVarsity Press, 2009)

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Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones4

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Biblios is written, edited and reviewed by a team of church leaders and bible teachers with proven ministries wo work together to communicate each subject with one voice. We are passionately committed to providing you with a growing library of resources to support your bible study or teaching. This issue: Writer Hugh Griffiths Editorial reviewers Mick Walford David Lavery

Biblios is produced by Hugh Griffiths. He has been active in a range of church leadership roles for more than 20 years, most recently serving as an elder of LifePoint Church, Swansea. He has regularly preached and taught here in the UK as well as ministered overseas in Europe and India. For more information on how Biblios can be used in your church contact: hugh.griffiths@biblios.org.uk

Unless stated otherwise, Bible quotations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) and are used by permission of the publishers. Cover image Fire (public domain)

Biblios / June 2011